True enough, in 2010, Colorado ranked fourth in breweries per capita. But then, the state had only 118 breweries. Colorado was behind Vermont, Oregon and Montana.

Things have changed.

“I would say for a good, hard number today, we have at least 145 breweries, and I am excluding meaderies,” said Mike Lauer, publisher of the Beer Drinkers Guide to Colorado[5], which keeps tabs on the brewing operations throughout the state and creates a snazzy map.

The Beer Institute’s[6] latest figures for beer production ranked Colorado as No. 1 in the nation with 23 million gallons produced in 2006. Much of that is likely due to the Coors brewery in Golden and Anheuser-Busch’s plant in Fort Collins.